Today in Las Vegas Magazine

Luxe, Vegas-style

Lavo is one of those “made-for-Vegas” concepts – a sleek, highly stylized, ultra-hip and ‘conceptual’ restaurant set amidst a nightclub and lounge. Perhaps this is to be expected, as it’s the sister property of another Las Vegas hotspot, TAO Nightclub. While the concept is similar, the difference lies in size – Lavo is the “cozier” of the two – both in terms of the nightclub and restaurant.

Designed to resemble a Roman bathhouse, Lavo (Latin for “to bathe or cleanse”) is a
visual and sensory feast, with its 20-foot ceilings, low chandeliers, leather seating, all wrapped-up in a Moroccan vibe. The most luxurious design element is the glass and wood-screened bridge leading to the nightclub, that is flanked with 32 ancient Turkish sinks laden with brass faucets with running water.

Paella Ibiziana	Charred Octopus

The restaurant is helmed by Executive Chef Ludovic (Ludo) Lefebvre, whose claim to fame is being the only chef in Los Angeles to be awarded a Mobil Travel Guide Five Star Award at two different restaurants.

The menu at Lavo is designed to encourage sampling and sharing, an element which I’m sure is appreciated by most diners. Dishes come almost “tapas-style” in size, meaning small plates – all the better to try almost all of the dishes.

Celebrating the flavors of France, Italy and Spain, as well as other Mediterranean influences, there are classics to be found, such as the trio of spreads – hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki – served with pita chips; or pizza margherita, and some “not-so-classic” items such as sliders and quesadillas, which to me lends an incongruous note.

The Ultimate Pizzette	Greek Salad

With so many tempting little plates, we decided to go with a combination of the restaurant’s specialties and then some. For starters, we opted for “Ludo’s Crudos” a selection of raw fish (tuna and salmon) and filet of beef, dressed with olive oil and a couple more unique ingredients resulting in a burst of flavor in every bite. All were notable, though my favorite was the salmon, which came served with cream cheese, chantilly apple jelly and crisp potato. If “raw” is not your thing (though you would be missing out, trust me), then I would recommend the charred octopus salad. This is a hot dish, with the octopus perfectly grilled and the combination of red onions, rosemary and lemon brings a distinctly Mediterranean flavor.

Closer to the American palate would be the pizza, though again, these are given culinary twists as in the case of “The Ultimate Pizzette” whose ‘toppings’ feature roasted lobster, truffles, boschetto cheese (made of sheep and cow’s milk, with white truffle bits), crispy potatoes and caramelized onions. It may be a bit “over-the-top” with the presence of the lobster and truffles, but these concerns vanish the instant you take a bite. The succulent lobster meat serves as a perfect foil to the rich, woodsy, earthy and pungent flavors of the truffles. Or the lamb shank quesadilla which was given enough of a twist to make it interesting. Definitely veering from the traditional, it comes with cumin-roasted eggplant puree, manchego cheese and harissa aioli – very Mediterranean, and surprisingly, very, very good.

On to what we considered our main course – the paella Ibiziana – the traditional Spanish rice dish which in this instance was studded with seafood, chorizo and chicken. It was adequately rich and spiced accordingly, though being chorizo fans, we would have preferred thicker slices of that, rather than the wafer-thin version we were served. But don’t knock it, because this seems to be one of Lavo’s more popular dishes, as evidenced by the number of tables around us that ordered it as well.

At Lavo, even the sides are interesting – for instance, french fries are served, but with a ketchup sorbet; then there are the meatballs, but made with Kobe beef. There are classics, too such as the broccolini we sampled which came served with sun-dried tomatoes and a cheese gratin – another one of those dishes that is
stunning in its simplicity.

We suggest you make sure you leave some room for dessert. We had the cappuccino parfait which was great, but there are others that are just as tempting, like the chocolate lavo obsession, the warm chocolate bread pudding or the upside-down apple tart (which might be their version of a tarte tatin).

Don’t be fooled by its upscale, glitzy façade – once you get past that, you’ll discover that the food is not just all-style, it’s also all-substance.

-Rachel M. Sugay